On the trail from Four Corners five riders spurred their mounts at top speed. The words - 'Trouble. Come' - continued to harass each of them privately.

J.D. found solace in the fact that the telegram hadn't said 'help', but then, he didn't believe either Larabee or Tanner would use such a phrase. However, the question remained of what sort of trouble. Had they come across some bounty hunters? Or was it simply that the prisoner was more of a handful than expected and Chris wanted the boys along for the ride?

J.D. dismissed the second idea. No one man would give Vin and Chris difficulty. So maybe there was more than one? Or maybe the town was in trouble and Chris and Vin had agreed to help and wanted some back up. The more J.D. thought about it, the more he liked the sound of the latter. Trouble. Come. The town was in trouble and they wanted the boys to come and give some assistance.

If only he could believe that.

**********

Chris was shoved out of the jailhouse, his arms tied behind his back. When Gregory and his lackeys had entered his cell, Larabee had uncoiled like a cobra taking on all seven men. He had landed some good punches and had almost slipped free, but once the butt of a revolver had crashed down on the side of his head, he had lost the battle.

On the street, the mob began to cheer at the sight of the bloodied victim.

"Ain't so tough now are you, gunfighter?" someone yelled.

"Hang the bastard!" another shouted.

One of Gregory's men lifted his boot and kicked Chris in the back to hurry him down the two steps. Larabee stumbled and fell heavily, landing in an untidy heap in the dusty street.

**********

Vin's jaw locked. His anger ignited. His finger was twitching on the trigger of his rifle which he held at his side, but he couldn't afford to do anything yet. No matter what happened, unless Chris’ life was directly threatened, Vin had to remain calm... but by God it was difficult.

The nerve in Vin’s cheek twitched. He watched with growing frustration and rage as his defenceless friend was kicked a half a dozen times on the ground. Larabee didn’t cry out but a loud grunt of pain was forced from him.

"That's it!" Vin snapped his rifle up. He couldn’t stand by and watch Chris beaten. Tanner knew he could take out all of Gregory’s men and then... and then the mob of drunken miner’s would probably tear Chris apart. Vin swallowed and lowered the weapon. Larabee had to be on his feet before the sharpshooter could act.

“Hang on, Chris. Just, hang on.” Vin glanced to the trail into town. It was empty, but then, even if the boys had received the message straight away, they still had to be at least another hour away.

Thankfully, the beating stopped and Gregory stepped forward and ordered his lackeys back.

Tanner drew in a deep breath, but it did nothing to ease the heaving of his chest. Chris’ assailants would pay for every blow. Vin had never felt rage like this. In the past, he had experienced intense anger but he’d always been completely in control. Tanner was aware that wasn’t the case today. The rage he was feeling was boiling like a furnace and ready to explode. If it was the last thing Vin Tanner ever did, he would make sure each one of the cowardly bastards paid with interest for every bit of pain they caused his best friend.

**********

Through a blaze of pain and flickering darkness, Chris heard someone yelling at him.

"Get up, you stinking bastard, Larabee!"

Chris was doubled up and curled into himself, lying on his side on the ground, submerged in a haze of pain. He hadn’t been able to do anything to protect himself with his hands tied.

"Get up, you murdering bastard!"

Slowly Chris uncoiled, his muscles screaming. The salty taste of blood filled his mouth from a cut to his lip. With great effort the gunfighter pushed himself up onto his knees, keeping his head down and his eyes focused on the ground as he struggled to control the nausea bubbling in his burning stomach.

“This gunfighter didn’t give my brother a fair trial,” Gregory shouted to the crowd as he grabbed the hat hanging around Chris’ neck and tossed it aside.

“Hang him,” one of the miners yelled with growing frenzy. Shouts of support for this idea followed. Several men took revolvers from their pockets and began firing in the air.

“Does he deserve a fair trial?” Gregory asked the fired up crowd, shoving Chris and watching as he struggled to remain upright.

The shout of ‘no’ came from a dozen men. They wanted a lynching.

Chris swallowed, keeping his head down. His black duster was now covered in dust and smudged with his own blood, but Chris was still a foreboding figure and he wasn’t about to give these degenerates any further satisfaction. Larabee waited for the fervent agony in his stomach to ease and then his head came up with proud defiance. For several moments he stared out directly in front of himself, waiting for his breathing to return to normal, and then his eyes lifted, systematically scanning the roof tops. His moving gaze stopped above the telegraph office. There. Just as Larabee knew he would be. Instinct had taken Tanner to the high ground where he was most dangerous.

Pained green eyes met angry blue ones.

One way or the other. Chris insisted.

Vin swallowed. Again they hadn’t needed words but he understood. Chris didn’t want to hang. That was something Vin Tanner understood to his core. Larabee had pledged that he wouldn’t let Tanner hang. Now, he was calling for the same oath from Vin.

History was repeating itself, only the roles had been reversed. There was one major difference, however. The pair were on their own. Their five partners weren‘t going to make it in time.

Larabee’s stare became intense and his appeal was repeated. One way or the other.

“We won’t be breaking the law. We’re going to deliver justice!” Gregory shouted, drawing both Tanner and Larabee’s attention back to those around them. Gregory’s statement prompted spontaneous cheers. The mob’s leader looked down at Larabee and his voice dropped. The next statements were for his victim alone. “The day we buried my brother, I vowed I’d hunt you down. My brother died a young fool, thinking he could take on someone like you. You’re gonna die like an animal in front of all of these people.”

Chris glanced up at the other man with so much defiance that Gregory was disconcerted. “You’re beaten, Larabee. No guns. No hope and no friends. That fella you were with has left you for dead.”

Chris couldn’t help but smile. Nothing could be further from the truth.

“Are you sure?” Sheriff Nelson asked Gregory, pacing behind the group. “Are you sure that mongrel has gone? He didn’t look like the type to scare easily.”

Gregory spun around, anger and just a little anxiety fuelling his next outburst. “He was just a spineless tramp who ran as soon as he saw how many he was up against. He‘s nothing without Larabee.”

Chris snorted. He’d never come across anyone who misjudged Vin so badly. The gunfighter suppressed the urge to tell Gregory that the ‘spineless tramp’ was one of the best sharpshooters in the territory and that he had a rifle over the idiot’s heart. Drawing attention to Tanner was out of the question, of course, but Larabee would have loved to have seen the look on the Gregory’s face.

**********

Above, Vin began to plan Chris’ rescue. The moment they pulled Larabee to his feet, the sharpshooter would act. He would take out the men directly around Chris so his friend could run for cover. Then, Vin would pepper the people below. Most of the miners would hightail it out of the firing line. They were there for some sort of perverted entertainment not to fight for a cause. Tanner would then make sure he took down Gregory and any of his remaining men, before climbing to the ground, finding Chris and then riding out of here. Simple.

Vin snorted. “Simple. Yeah, right.”

**********

Chris flicked eyes up to Vin. He needed to know what the hell they were going to do.

Get ready, Vin warned, raising his rifle.

Chris braced himself, his mind racing as he tried to ascertain what Vin’s plan might be.

Without warning, Larabee was shoved down onto his back. Roughly he was rolled onto his side and his arms freed. Before he could do anything, a rope was tied to each wrist. What the hell were they doing?

**********

Vin lowered his rifle with a steady frown. He couldn’t see what was happening as Gregory’s men crowded around his friend. All Tanner knew was that until Larabee was on his feet, he could do very little. Vin watched with relief as two of Gregory’s men moved off. That reduced the odds a little.

The mob began shouting, demanding that Larabee be hanged. Gregory smiled and raised his hand for calm. “Patience, my friends. Patience.”

Vin’s heart rate increased. He didn’t like this. What was Gregory up to? Moments later, the two men who had disappeared reappeared with four horses. Tanner’s brow furrowed. Were Gregory and his men going to ride out with Chris and lynch him elsewhere - maybe where there were no witnesses? If that were the case, that would suit Vin very nicely.

**********

Confused, Chris stared up at the leering faces.

Someone was tying a rope around his left ankle. The sound of horses approaching filled Larabee’s ears. Abruptly, Chris realized what was going to happen! Adrenaline flooded his system in horror. Instinctively, he began to struggle. A blow across his face dazed him, but didn’t stop his desperate efforts to break free.

**********

Vin strained to see what was happening, but Gregory and his men masked the activity. He could tell that Chris had started struggling. Tanner raised his rifle but didn’t aim it, still trying to figure out what Gregory was up to. He watched as the mob’s leader signalled one of the men with the horses. Were they going to try and get Chris on the horse so they could ride out? That was Vin’s prayer.

Tanner frowned when he saw one of the men turn to the horse and tie a rope to the saddle horn. When the second, third and fourth horses were brought in simultaneously by three different men, Vin’s eyes grew wide. His breathing increased rapidly. “No. No, damn you!” All of the sudden, Vin knew. He raised his rifle, but froze. A shot could startle the horses! “No. Damn you all to hell!”

Vin squeezed his eyes shut momentarily, searching for some way to free his friend. His chest was heaving again. As he looked down on the scene below, the men crowded around Chris backed away, revealing Larabee lying on his back, each of his four limbs secured to one of the four horses.

“Oh, God,” Vin cursed. His world crashed. He couldn’t take out the men around Chris because the rifle fire would startle the horses and they would bolt... and Larabee would be torn limb from limb. “No. Dammit. Stupid, stupid, stupid,” Vin berated himself. He should have acted earlier. What the hell could he do now?!

**********

“It is one thing to watch a man hang, but seeing a man ripped apart...!” Gregory yelled, gleefully, “... now that is true revenge!“ Surprisingly, the crowd became quiet. Hangings were quite regular occurrences and while brutal in every sense of the word, most people in the town had become desensitised to the kicking and gurgling of the struggling victim as they thrashed about trying to breath. What Gregory was proposing was something altogether different.

Seeing the mob‘s change of mood, Gregory smiled. “Raise your rifles and revolvers, my friends. I will raise my whip. When it falls, I want you to fire in the air. This gunfighter has taken the lives of innocent people like you and I. Today, you can be a part of God’s justice.”

The miner’s began to murmur.

“Free drinks for every man who joins me in sending this murdering bastard to hell.” This obtained the desired effect and almost two dozen guns were drawn.

**********

Horror had left Vin feeling physically ill. His face was covered in a fine layer of perspiration, his bright blue eyes filled with dread and alarm. There was no way he could save Chris now. The thought left his mind moving in a vacuum. All he could think of was that he should have acted earlier. Why the hell hadn’t he just walked into the jail and busted Chris out?

Tanner stared down on the scene, his eyes drawn to Chris. He couldn’t see his friend’s face.

What was he going to do? The answer to that question sobered Vin immediately and the hysteria that had been gradually consuming him was pushed back. A calmness came over the sharpshooter. There was only one thing he could do and that was to honour his promise. One way or the other... it’s the other, Cowboy.

Vin set his shoulders, expelled his breath, raised his rifle and centred it on Chris’ head. One bullet would do it. His best friend would feel no pain. Then Vin Tanner would wreak havoc and make those responsible for his friend’s death pay with their lives!

**********

“Get ready,” Gregory ordered. Four of his men climbed onto the backs of the horses.

Chris licked his lips. He couldn’t see Vin but he knew what his friend would be thinking. It would be the same thought of horror and feeling of helplessness he had experienced only a few weeks earlier when Vin had been placed on a chair in Purgatory with a noose around his neck. Larabee swallowed. Without reason, his fear left him. Vin wouldn’t let this happen... one way or the other. It’s okay, Vin. Take the shot.

Chris shut his eyes. His mind wandered and he found himself thinking of Sarah and Adam. He would be joining them soon. Death held no fear for him. His thoughts returned to Vin and Larabee’s heart ached. Vin would have to live with the knowledge that it had been his bullet. Chris called on that bond he shared with his best friend - a bond he no longer questioned - and prayed that a message from his heart was sent and received. It’s okay, Vin. You’re doing this for me.

Vin drew his rifle to his shoulder, shut his right eye and zeroed in on his best friend’s head. For a split second he froze, the agony of what he was about to do screaming in his soul. For a handful of heartbeats he told himself he couldn’t do it. He couldn’t kill Chris, but deep down he knew he was the only one who could save his friend from dying a horrendous death. Out of the blue, he was consumed by a strange but familiar knowing. He had Chris’ blessing. Not carrying out his promise would be betraying his friend. Chris I... I’ll make it quick.

"Get ready to die, Gunfighter." Gregory's words thundered through Vin's being. He tensed, his rifle aimed at Larabee's blond head. Months of friendship flashed through Tanner's tortured mind.

"May God condemn you to hell!" the mob's leader shouted, once again firing up the crowd. “This murderer will never harm another soul. Justice is about to be done!”

Tanner's heart was pounding so viciously he could hear nothing else. Larabee had saved his life so many times. Now, he was going to take the life of this man who had shown him how to trust.

The mob's leader collected his whip. Vin's open eye narrowed. There had to be something he could do! His mind continued to search.

The horses moved restlessly.

Gregory raised the whip with a gleaming smile of triumph.

Vin's soul shattered. It was too late. Chris...

“Nooooow!” the frenzied mob leader screamed.

"No!" Vin cried.

Chris heard the shout of agony, recognized its source and tensed, waiting for the bullet that would ensure his end was quick and painless.

Time slowed... Gregory’s whip began to descend... the eyes of the crowd grew wide... fingers began to contract on triggers... spurs were dug in. Four clear, distinct shots fired in lightening succession moments before there was a cavalcade of gunfire from the baying and turbulent crowd. Startled by the resounding boom of weapons and encouraged by the spurs jabbing their sides, the horses bolted. Loud, bloodcurdling cheers filled the street.

Chris lay on the ground choking on the dust from the horses that were disappearing in four different directions. Some of the crowd’s cheers changed to shouts of confusion. Gregory, who had moved to the side of the street, stared down in amazement.

Larabee opened his eyes and drew his arms in. Dazed and coughing violently, he gazed directly above himself. Through the haze of swirling dust, he could see the blue sky.

An urgent shout sent him scrambling to his feet. “CHRIS! RUNNNN!”

Larabee reacted instinctively. In a split second the gunfighter was on his feet and racing to the side of the street to the frozen astonishment of those sober enough to realize that things hadn't gone to plan. Chris darted down between two buildings, his mind blank but his legs seeming to understand that speed was of the essence.

Above, Vin kept his rifle trained on the mob. Half were still cheering and firing guns into the air, too drunk to realize what had happened. Tanner released his shaking breath. It'd worked. At the last possible moment he had chosen to trust in his own ability and shifted his aim.

As Chris rounded the back of one of the buildings, he stopped, his back coming to rest against the wall as he tried to assemble his thoughts. As he lifted his hand up to wipe the dust from his watering eyes, he spotted the loop of rope dangling around his wrist. Identical pieces encircled each of his limbs. Just below the knot that secured them, the end was singed - each had been severed by a perfectly and exceptionally aimed bullet. Vin. Vin had shot the ropes. He'd aimed high on the cord, close to Chris' wrist where there would be the least movement.

Shouting from the other side of the building cleared Larabee’s mind. He had to join his partner!

One half of the crowd had started recovering from their stunned limbo while the other half had finally realized that Larabee's body hadn't been dismembered. Gregory's inhuman roar of vehemence echoed through the town. "Get Larabee!!"

A group of men attempted to do so, but when the first dropped before even entering the alley - a single bullet lodged in his chest - the others backed off. All eyes lifted skyward in search of the source.

“There!”

“It’s that crazy mongrel who was with Larabee!” Sheriff Nelson squealed, racing for cover.

"Kill him!" Gregory bellowed. Several of the miners turned their guns toward the sharpshooter, but a few well placed shots saw them and the rest of the crowd racing for cover. "He's just one man," Gregory shouted, firing at Vin but seeking shelter at the same time.

Chris raced along behind the buildings, searching for the one Vin was perched atop. The gunfighter really couldn't be certain which it was. He'd been slightly distracted when he'd spotted his friend earlier. However, Larabee guessed it was about five shops along and he knew it was one of the smaller structures.

Rifle fire from above directed Chris to the correct building. Chris searched for the best place to climb and spotting a drain pipe, began to claw his way toward the roof. His stomach muscles protested vigorously, tender from the beating he'd endured. Below, he heard the approach of a horse. Chris glanced over his shoulder. One of Gregory's men rode up astride an animal conscripted into the murderous plan that would have seen Chris scattered from one end of the street to the other.

“Back here!” the hired gun shouted, drawing his weapon. Chris reached for his revolver but grabbed only air. With horror he remembered he was unarmed, his treasured weapon probably in Nelson or Gregory's possession. Larabee grimaced, bracing for the influx of great pain. A shot exploded, but the direction was all wrong. The man below flew from his horse. Chris lifted his eyes skyward.

"Come on," Vin shouted, leaning over the edge. Chris scrambled the final few feet, Vin grabbing the back of his shirt and hauling him up onto the roof. Before Larabee knew what was happening, Tanner had shoved his gun belt into his hand. Chris withdrew the pearl-handled revolver. The weapon fit snugly into his hand and provided a true sense of security. Now, he could defend himself. However, the shots from below had ceased and an eerie silence descended over the town.

Chris followed his partner across the flat roof to the facing board of the shop and dropped beside Vin who was peering through a wide crack in the boards. The telegraph office was only about fifteen foot long and twelve foot wide. The side looking toward the street had a raised facing board containing the sign advertising what the building was used for. The facing was about four foot high at the highest point and sloped from the centre down to about two foot at the extremities which reached either corner of the building. The facing returned down each side of the building for a few feet, thus providing the two regulators with a surprising amount of shelter from any bullets fired from below.

"How much ammunition have we got?" Chris asked, checking his weapon. Absentmindedly, he wiped the blood trickling from his split lip.

"Not a lot, but we don't need to defeat them. Just hold them off until the boys get here," Vin explained.

"You sent the message?"

"I haven't been sittin' around twiddling my thumbs, Larabee." Satisfied that things had quieted momentarily, Vin dragged his eyes from the street and let them settle on his partner. "Sorry I cut it so fine." Taking out a handkerchief, he handed it to his friend. “Your head,” he urged.

Chris accepted the kerchief and pressed it against the small wound near his temple. For several moments he eyed his companion. He'd met some decent sharpshooters in his days, but none could hold a candle to Tanner. Not only was Vin accurate from a distance, he was cool under pressure and could shoot rapidly... and he never missed. In all the time they had been riding together, Chris had never seen his friend miss. How the hell Vin had made the four shots that had severed the ropes to save his life in the time frame needed, Chris would never know. "I've never met a man who can shoot like you can," the gunfighter whispered emotionally, studying Tanner's distressed, yet relieved face.

Vin Tanner smiled mischievously. "Your boots must be smokin’. I've never seen anyone move as fast as you just did, Cowboy. Well, maybe only Ezra when Buck put that damn skunk in his saddlebags. "

Larabee's face settled into a comfortable smile. There was something about Tanner that allowed him to truly be himself. He felt so relaxed, despite the situation they found themselves in. "Hell, no one could move that fast."

Vin winked and then returned to watching the street.

"I had no idea what you were going to do,” Larabee admitted, removing the handkerchief to check and see if his head had stopped bleeding. “So, that was your plan? Shooting out the ropes? What if I'd moved?"

"Plan? What the hell are you talkin' about, Larabee? I'm makin' this up as I go," Vin muttered, watching Gregory shoot across the street into the saloon. Tanner had been well aware of the fact that if Chris moved, his bullet would have struck his friend. He'd also considered the fact that he could miss. If he'd missed one of the shots, the next bullet would have been aimed at his best friend's skull. The very thought caused Vin's stomach to turn. Thankfully, he hadn't had to resort to that.

Movement on the street drew Vin’s focus. The miners darted from their places of hiding and headed into the saloon. Slowly Vin rose to his feet, careful to remain hidden.

“Get ready to move,” he ordered. He turned and crawled along the roof to the far side which was completely exposed. Carefully, he lifted his head. A shot rang out. Vin rolled backwards and lay panting. “Nope, he’s left some of his men on watch.”

“Get back over here before you get your fool head shot off,” Chris ordered.

Vin pushed himself up onto his elbow. “Don’t start, Larabee. I had everything under control until that fella decided to spread your body parts all over town.” Tanner crawled back and dropped beside his friend. “At best, the boys are only an hour away.”

“At worst?” Chris asked, grimacing as he rubbed his tender stomach and ribs.

Vin frowned, noting the action. “Ain’t no guarantee that Josiah and Nathan have returned from the reservation. J.D. had a date with Casey and we both know that Buck’s plans could take up the whole day.”

“Which only leaves Ezra,” Chris agreed. “And if he’s got himself involved in a poker game...”

“Then they may not have received the message yet,” Vin finished, spinning around to peer out through the gap in the boards.

“Great. It could be a long day.”

Tanner flicked his concerned eyes to his friend. “How badly are you hurt?”

Chris grunted and reached for one of the rifles to check it.

“Larabee?” Vin growled.

“I’m fine.”

Vin’s frown deepened. “I can’t afford for you to keel over on me. Need to know how much I can count on your help when they decide to rush us.”

Chris lifted his eyes and smirked. “I notice you didn’t say if. So you think Gregory will convince those fools to rush us?”

“Eventually. And you didn’t answer my question.” Tanner’s deep stare demanded an answer.

“Reckon I’ll be stiff and sore tomorrow. Outside of that, it’s only my pride that’s hurt. I never should have trusted Nelson.”

“Nope, you shouldn't. I didn’t,” Vin pointed out, peering down at the street.

“That doesn’t count. You don’t trust anyone.”

“A man lives longer that way. Looks like they’re planning their next move. Reckon we should do the same while we’ve got time.”

Chris put the rifle down. "So we have a plan?"

"If we can get to our horses... but they're still tied outside the sheriff's office. I should have thought. Brought them back here, but I was expectin' a few minutes between when Nelson left the jail and Gregory arrived. Was gonna bust you out and dive on the horses. Was there a prisoner?" Vin asked, turning to Chris.

Larabee frowned and then realizing what his friend meant, shook his head. "None that I saw."

Vin grunted and returned his focus to the saloon. "Thought as much. If we get out of this, Nelson's mine. So, you got any ideas?"

Chris’ brow furrowed as he turned and peered through another of the cracks. "Nothing comes to mind."

"Well, at least most of the people shooting at us are so drunk they'll be lucky to hit the building let alone us," Vin murmured. Again, Chris smiled. "We can probably hold off a full on assault for about five minutes before we run out of bullets."

"If we make every shot count, we should be able to cut a lot down in that time." Vin expelled his breath. "It'll be a massacre.” Both men knew the miners would be easy targets.

Larabee nodded his agreement. “So we just nick them.”

Tanner flicked his eyes to his friend. “If we can take out Gregory and his men early, the miners will lose interest.”

“I can’t see Gregory coming out of the saloon until he’s certain the miners have done some damage.”

“Reckon so. Of course, if they have an ounce of common sense, they’ll just set fire to this building.”

“Let’s not suggest that,” Chris muttered.

“If it comes to being taken, I ain’t real partial to being torn apart... or being burned up,” Vin informed his friend.

Chris grinned.

“Just thought I‘d let you know.”

“That makes two of us,” Chris agreed. The implication was clear to both. They wouldn’t be taken alive.

Below, there was a loud cheer from inside the largest building in town.

Tanner and Larabee peered back through the cracks. “Looks like he’s convinced them.”

Vin picked up his rifle and Chris grabbed Ridgewater’s. “I’ll take the left side and the back once they start moving,” Vin offered. The telegraph building was unusual in that it had an alley running down each side.

Chris snorted. “There’s no cover there. Stay here. If anyone climbs up, we’ll take care of them once they arrive. This is the only flat roof in town, so they’d have to be pretty enthusiastic to come across any of the others.”

“Guess it depends how much money he’s offered them for our heads.”

“Guess so.”

“Goin’ soft on the miners just may get us killed, Cowboy.”

“We nick them to begin with and if that doesn’t discourage them...”

Vin nodded. The pair waited.

“Here they come,” Larabee warned, spotting movement in the lane beside the saloon. The miners had gone out the back door and were darting into positions.

Vin and Chris exchanged a glance and then prepared for battle. “Keep an eye out for the fellas with Gregory.” Both men had seen the way the group had worn their guns. Clearly, they knew how to handle themselves.

Gunfire exploded from the street, bullets ricocheting off the facing board. The wood was old and full of borers and began to splinter under the onslaught. It wasn't going to stand up to a long battle.

Neither Vin nor Chris reacted, knowing they needed to conserve ammunition.

Half a dozen miners attempted to cross the street. Tanner and Larabee jumped up and peppered them, the men racing back to their places of concealment.

“Cover us!” a disembodied voice shouted. The other men opened fire. Vin and Chris waited a few seconds and then leaped up, setting about nicking as many men as possible.

As they ducked back to reload, the shooting below stopped.

“Time to try talking,” Chris suggested, noting how badly the facing was holding up. “Don’t be fools!” he yelled. “Gregory is just using you. I notice he’s nice and safe in the saloon. You’re the ones getting shot.”

Vin watched their opponents. “It’s not workin’. Gregory must have offered them a fortune.”

“So far, we haven’t been shooting to kill. That stops now,” Chris shouted. The bottom line was, he and Vin needed to get out of this alive and by the look of it, their shelter wasn't going to last long. The miners had now been warned. “Let Gregory do his own dirty work. No amount of money is worth dying for.”

From inside the saloon, Gregory shouted,” I’ll double my offer. The man who kills Larabee gets one hundred dollars!”

With cries of excitement, the miners on the street began shooting again. Several ducked from their places of concealment and attempted to cross the street and reach the telegraph building. None succeeded, cut down by well aimed shots. The mob's efforts were uncoordinated, each man interested only in his ability to secure the prize.

“Wait!” Gregory called, realizing that if things continued as they were, Larabee and his friend would slowly whittle the miners down. “On my signal. Now!” Two dozen weapons opened fire on Vin and Chris. Larabee and Tanner kept their heads down, both watching through the growing cracks in the wooden facing.

“There!” Chris cried, spotting one of Gregory’s hired guns dash from the saloon to a spot behind a barrel.

“Yeah, I saw him. They’re gonna use the miners as cover.”

Another volley of shots showered the trapped regulators and screened the movement of another of Gregory’s men who darted across the street. Chris fired off a single shot but his target had already disappeared. “He’s coming down the side,” Chris warned.

Vin darted across the roof in a crouch.

Chris returned his focus to the street. The miners were enjoying themselves, enticed by the prospect of earning more money than any of them had ever seen. The visual deterioration of the wood protecting their targets fuelled their enthusiasm. It was only a matter of time before they felt they would successfully win the hundred dollar reward.

Larabee glanced back and watched as his partner lowered himself to his stomach and edged along the roof toward the alley that Gregory’s shooter had disappeared into. Tanner peered over the edge. A shot from below sent Vin rolling back. Tanner glanced at Larabee. “He’s got a rifle with a sight. Looks like the type used by sharpshooters in the war.”

“Ex-soldier,” Chris agreed. “Makes sense. One of them called Gregory, sergeant, in the jailhouse.”

“Which means he and those five that are left know what they’re doin’,” Vin agreed, edging back toward the side of the building to check on the shooter. “He should have climbed up onto one of the other buildings. We'd have been sitting ducks."

"Another suggestion we need to keep to ourselves," Chris called.

Tanner peeked over the edge. "Damn. He’s gone. I...” Without warning, a rifle poked over the verge of the roof only a foot from Vin.

“Vin, look out!”

Tanner spotted the weapon and dived toward it. Several shots barked from the rifle as the marksmen below shot blind. Tanner kicked the barrel, unbalancing the man below, but the action left Vin fully exposed.

“Vin, get down!” Chris cried, leaping to his feet and firing into the alley to cover his friend. Below, the miners saw their targets appear and with a collective war cry they opened fire. Both Vin and Chris dropped to their stomaches.

“Larabee?!” Vin shouted, searching for his friend as he climbed to his knees.

“Yeah,” Chris replied, scrambling toward the facing. “Get back over here!”

Tanner crawled back across the roof. “Cowboy, this isn’t going to be as easy as we thought.”

“I don’t remember using the word easy,” Chris panted, reloading. “Can’t afford much more of this. Our ammunition is already low and this isn't going to last much longer,” he pointed out, studying the holes beginning to appear in the facing.

Vin peered through a gap in the boards.

Abruptly, Larabee’s name was yelled from below. Tanner and Larabee shared a lingering glance and then Chris replied, “What do you want, Gregory?”

“I’m going to make you an offer.”

Vin’s right eyebrow rose.

“Go on,” Chris prompted.

“You give yourself up and I promise to wait for the Judge... Oh, and I guarantee that your misguided friend comes to no harm.”

“Go to hell!” Vin growled.

“Larabee, I’m waiting for your answer. I’ll let your friend go and guarantee not to touch you. We’ll let the judge decide.”

“A strange proposal from someone who outnumbers us more than fifteen to one."

“I am not a patient man and it looks to me like you two know what you're doing. I'd probably have to starve you out and that could take days. So how about it? Your friend’s life and my guarantee not to lay a hand on you as long as you wait in town for the judge.”

Chris frowned, his brow furrowing with thought. Vin’s eyes widened. “Larabee, don’t even think about...”

“Why's he talking?” Chris murmured, searching the street below.

Vin understood immediately. This was a distraction! Tanner joined his partner in scanning the town. Abruptly, all of the miners began pointing. Vin followed their line of sight. “Oh, shit.” The acid in his stomach rose. “Chris, they’ve got a cannon.”

“What?” Larabee cried, spinning around. With horror, he watched as two men rolled the weapon out of an alley and into the street. River Strike had been used by a number of regiments on their march south. No doubt the weapon had been abandoned at the end of the war. Either that, or Gregory and his group had acquired one during their army days.

“Cover me,” Vin stated.

“What are you going to do?”

“Make them think twice about usin’ it. Now!”

Chris leaped up with Vin and began firing indiscriminately at the miners. Tanner shot the two men preparing the cannon and then ducked back. Larabee dropped beside him, both reloading.

They exchanged a look. Ready?

Again they jumped up, Vin aiming his shots at those close to the weapon. Meanwhile, Chris covered his friend by ensuring the miners kept their heads down.

Both ducked back behind the facing and peered through the boards. They watched in horror as barrels and wagons were dragged into the street either side of the cannon to provide some cover for those who would operate it. In the ensuing few minutes, their bullets failed to neither penetrate the barricade nor stop those building it.

Both men searched desperately for a way to take out the cannon. They couldn't defend themselves against it.

"I'd like to add being blown apart by a cannon to my list," Vin murmured.

Chris searched for a solution and kept returning to a single thought. "Half an hour?" he checked.

Vin continued to stare at the barricade at the end of the street. "They may not have even got the message yet. We need a plan, Cowboy."

Larabee's brow furrowed and he glanced toward the trail leading into town. The boys were their only hope. "We‘re fast running out of bullets."

Vin turned his gaze in search of their partners. "Bullets ain't gonna be much good against that cannon and at best, the boys'll be another half an hour, Chris."

"I..." The staccato of the two dozen weapons drowned out the rest of Larabee's comment. The wood of the facing began to disintegrate. Vin and Chris threw themselves backwards.

Capitalizing on the situation, the miners crossed the street, raced to each side of the telegraph office and began peppering the pair above. With bullets whizzing around them like hail, Tanner and Larabee huddled close to the very centre of the building, lying on their stomachs. The noise was deafening and the bullets coming from all directions.

Larabee and Tanner waited for the pause they knew would come as the men below reloaded. When it came, they jumped up and sent a volley of shots at their opponents trying to push them back.

The miners spotted their targets and once reloaded, redirected their shots. Vin and Chris ducked.

“We...” Chris’ eyes grew wide. He whipped up his revolver and fired. Vin spun around in time to see a man toppling backwards. Some of the miners had used the distraction to climb the side of the building. Two others clambered onto the roof. Tanner and Larabee fired simultaneously and the men fell. Another man appeared only to be knocked backwards by a well aimed bullet from Larabee.

“You take the right!” Chris shouted as he headed left. Crouched, the two men headed right and left respectively and emptied their revolvers into the alleys, forcing the miners back. The shots echoed out and there was silence. Vin glanced over at his partner. “We better hope the boys get here soon.”

Larabee cursed softly. He had to get Vin out of this. "Gregory! Gregory, I'm ready to consider your proposal. Give me a minute."

Vin's face blanketed with rage. "What the hell are you doin'? He won't live up to his end of the bargain. I ain't leavin' you!"

Chris Larabee smiled. "Don't worry, I'm not going to waste my breath trying to convince you."

Vin snorted, realizing his friend was simply playing for time. "He ain't gonna give you half and hour to make up your mind."

"Your time's up, Larabee!" Gregory shouted.

Tanner and Larabee stared at each other. He wasn't even going to give half a minute. Both knew they had exhausted all options for escape.

"I'm gonna leave this world on my terms," Vin growled, his expressive blue eyes seeing into Chris' soul and recognizing that Larabee felt the same way. If they were to die, it wasn't going to be kicking and screaming at the end of a rope, nor torn apart by horses... or blown apart by a cannon. They would chose the time and place and they would go together.

Chris studied his friend's face which echoed the independent spirit and strength of character Larabee had come to know and respect. "One way or the other," he whispered.

"The other," Vin agreed, quietly.